Xiaomi builds DeepExposure AI to restore detail in over/under exposed photos

06 December 2018
The AI segments the image and adjusts the exposure of each part separately.

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Lyndino, 17 Dec 2018So you opinion is that the camera in my Galaxy S8 is just a... moreYes, and no.
Before explaining why, let me tell you some things that no one cares but that also matter:
A "camera" (in smartphones) is a set of a sensor combined with a lens (that can have more or less elements). The glass in front of the sensor is important because that's what makes the images sharp or not, especially away from the center of an image, more or less chromatic aberrations and contrast. The sensor itself doesn't change much from a high-end smartphone to another since the CMOS technology (which is the base technology of modern sensors) hasn't evolved much. That being said, let me answer why I said "yes and no":
- Yes if, you take the same photo in raw and compare the raw file only (I said only because smartphones always shoot in jpeg, either you choose raw format or not.)
A raw file is, as the name suggests, the raw pixels captured by the sensor. Because there's no image processing, the unedited picture will look dull, very noisy and with low dynamic range. The raw format (.dng for smartphones) has the ability to capture 16bits of color, although smartphones' sensors are only able to capture 8 or 10 bits of color (mostly 8 bit only), so, the dynamic range will be quite low. That's why the whole "hdr" trend came to play because it solves the issue of the lack of dynamic range. Typically, and hdr is a technique in which the smartphone (or camera, because it exists in entry-level or pro cameras for years) takes 3 or more pictures, with different exposures and converts it to a jpeg file where there are no highlights clipped and no harsh shadows.<
So, if you take all the tricks apart by shooting raw you'll have the pure sensor quality, and believe me, the difference won't be noticeably between any flagship or midrange phone, since they use similar sensors.
No if, you use your smartphone camera app vs other smartphones' camera apps, since their techniques and algorithms used to disguise the lack of quality, vary from brand to brand. Google has great images because they use more advanced algorithms and their approach is different from Samsung, for example, because Samsung's camera app over-sharpens their images and use very agressive and less accurate noise reduction, resulting in less-detailed images with strong sharpen while Google's camera app has a better noise reduction and a more natural approach when it comes to sharpening, resulting in a sharper image with more detail and better texture. This is not all since each camera app uses different techniques, like image stacking (that can be done in many ways) the phone takes many images and then blend them together using complex algorithms and achieving an image with low noise and higher dynamic range. That blending technique is available in Photoshop for many years, and believe me, it makes miracles. Although, if there are moving subjects, there's no way to avoid blurred subjects (people, cars...), so, the final result won't be ideal. You can see that in Google's new "Night Sight" mode, it works great but if you have people moving around, after taking the photo (which takes 6 secs, the time for the processor to blend the several images) you will have blurred people. For example, the Night Sight mode (or any other low light mode) is useless when used in night concerts, discos, or any other scene where moving subjects are in the frame. For example, in a good camera (proper camera, like Sony, Canon or Nikon...) you can have similar results with only one shot and not having anything blurred.
I didn't talk much about the Huawei because I've seen many reviews, I've pixel peeped every sample from their phone in GSM Arena and I don't think that it can be compared with Pixel''s 3 images. The post-processing is very aggressive, resulting in a loss of detail and texture, and to try to compensate that, they use a very strong sharpening, and I don't like the result as much as I like in Pixel's phones.
The fact that they have 3 different sensors and respective lenses with different focal lengths, makes the phone more versatile, especially because the wide-angle camera (in fact it is the lens that makes it wide or not) is very handy. The S8 doesn't have it, and it is a minus for me.
A fair comparison between smartphones cameras' real quality would be to use a third-party app in every phone, so, with the same post-processing, the results would show the minor differences between sensors. Or shooting raw (.dng) and comparing the cameras using the same post-processing in Photoshop. I know that most people don't care about this because no one will edit raw files, because it requires time, patience and knowledge.
I could be here all day talking about this, but it is essentially what I explained above.
Ps: if you want similar Pixel images, you can download and install the Google camera app, ported to your phone, and you'll have very similar results. I've seen people doing that in many phones and the result is great, even when used in low-end phones.
Image processing, AI and machine learning are the future of smartphone photography because sensors reached their limit a few years ago.
Although, if you want to take better pictures, try to learn about photography because the camera app doesn't tell you how to frame, what to shoot and how to shoot. This being said, the most important to get a good photo is to learn how to do it, not to buy a better camera (or phone) because it won't take the picture for you. This is the biggest tip that I can give to anyone that wants a better camera but doesn't even know how to frame properly.

    njsilva84, 16 Dec 2018Clearly, you have no idea of how not good the smartphone se... moreSo you opinion is that the camera in my Galaxy S8 is just as good as the 3 camera set-up on the Mate 20 or the Single super camera on the Pixel 3?

      Lyndino, 06 Dec 2018Why not start with a decent camera before needing to 'fix' ... moreClearly, you have no idea of how not good the smartphone sensors are. I said "not good" not to say bad. There's no way that such small sensors can produce nice images without the need of heavy post-processing. CMOS sensors didn't evolve much in the last couple of years unlike what camera brands tell you. If you take a Galaxy S6 and put it to test against the S9, with the exact same post-processing, the final results will be very similar. I am in the photography industry since the beginning of digital photography and believe me, image sensors are not evolving at all for a couple of years and smartphones are not the exception. I've done the proof myself while comparing many smartphones' pictures, taken in raw format and then carefully pixel peep in photoshop. You would be disappointed to see pictures of the Galaxy S9's pictures in raw, without any post-processing. The same applies to iPhones or any other brand, the difference is that Apple doesn't provide the option to shoot raw, not to expose all the chroma and luminance noise of their sensors. Why do you think that camera brands are adding more cameras year after year? To change something because, despite what DxOMark tells you, the differences between smartphones' sensors are minimal, if any. Of course, I am talking about midrange and flagship phones' sensors.

        Why not start with a decent camera before needing to 'fix' bad pics?

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          • Genza
          • thw
          • 06 Dec 2018

          SpiritWolf, 06 Dec 2018I checked Redmi Note 5 camera samples from review. They wer... moreIf you think the camera on my Redmi Note 5 is awful there must be something seriously bad with your f@#$king eyes.

          https://m.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_redmi_note_5_ai_dc-review-1777p5.php

          And no thanks i'm not going to waste my money anymore just for a camera that i use mostly for social media.
          And if i need a better camera i already have Sony a5100

            /S, 06 Dec 2018How dare the copy this technology from iPhone!! Shameless c... moreCopy what? This technology was not invented by Apple. I do combine exposures and blend them together much before the first smartphone was released.
            I laugh about how many people think that they know much about photography just because they can open the camera and take a picture. Too many youtubers and phone reviewers pretending to be photography experts lead to this fake generalize knowledge about photography. People buy phones with "better cameras" when, in reality, the technology in sensors is the same in the last couple of years, and it's the image processing that disguises the lack of quality. People also buy new phones "because they have better cameras" but they lack basic knowledge about photography, so, your pictures will still be rubbish, but with a better post processing. Phones don't frame neither chose the best subject or tell you to take the picture this or that way. The human knowledge was and always will be the major factor to take a good photo.

              Genza, 06 Dec 2018My phone maybe affordable or even cheap for some people but... moreI checked Redmi Note 5 camera samples from review. They were goddamn awful.
              So shut your piehole and buy better phone if you want quality.

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                • Genza
                • thw
                • 06 Dec 2018

                SpiritWolf, 06 Dec 2018Camera was 'fine'? You've never seen fine camera then.My phone maybe affordable or even cheap for some people but the combination of 12MP sensor with 1.4μm pixel size and F1.9 aperture + 5MP is good enough to compete with other phones that far more expensive.

                Before the MIUI 10 update the camera quality is fine and i can record 4K video with stabilization turn on.

                So "F" you!!!
                If you think i don't deserved to get the quality and performance that i used to get from my phone.

                  Genza, 06 Dec 2018Shut the F out the camera was fine before the MIUI 10Camera was 'fine'? You've never seen fine camera then.

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                    • Machine learning
                    • tu6
                    • 06 Dec 2018

                    How low marketing get, an AI is supposed to represent a algorithm that constantly learn and develop both by training and user interventions and input. It also supposed to have the ability to predict parameter.
                    This is just a simple(not simple, but in context) algorithm derived from machine learning that been used by many manufacturers, most notably google. But if people don’t care and didn’t want to know i guess it’s ok then?

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                      • /S
                      • thw
                      • 06 Dec 2018

                      How dare the copy this technology from iPhone!! Shameless chines copycat!!

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                        • Genza
                        • yQJ
                        • 06 Dec 2018

                        SpiritWolf, 06 Dec 2018Are you serious? Budget phones usually have budget camera. Shut the F out the camera was fine before the MIUI 10

                          Anonymous, 06 Dec 2018This is the reason why companies refuse to lower the prices... moreI mean, Xiaomi is thriving on just a FIVE PERCENT profit margin - for comparison, Xiaomi only makes $5 from a $100 product, whereas Samsung gets away with $61 from a $100 product.

                          Everyone CAN make a cheap zero-compromise device with long-term support and actually good specs, they just tend to overprice that s... to stratospheric prices.

                            • ?
                            • Anonymous
                            • IWN
                            • 06 Dec 2018

                            Genza, 06 Dec 2018F that bull$#!t just improve the camera quality of my Redmi... moreThis is the reason why companies refuse to lower the prices of their phones even if it's not selling that well. People want cheaper phones but they want it without compromise, then they want good service, long OS support. No matter what people will always complain, so they might as well price it higher and take your money for the same amount of complains they get.

                              I do really like the DeepExposure II (third from left/right in top row) instead of Expert C which is a little bit feel too "cool".

                                • ?
                                • Anonymous
                                • g3P
                                • 06 Dec 2018

                                Rubbish, if you do per tile exposure adjustments shown in the photos you will end up with a garish image. Most multi-frame are already adjusting this on a per pixel without having to come up with a fancy marketing name for it.

                                  • ?
                                  • Anonymous
                                  • IV8
                                  • 06 Dec 2018

                                  Xiamoi is really stepping up the photography game.. Their pocophone even scored 2nd behind Mate 20 in a blind test

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                                    • AnonD-804996
                                    • M}3
                                    • 06 Dec 2018

                                    "Ai" this, "Ai" that. This shit ain't "Ai". It's literally what we called "a regular algorithm" till now... Just because something makes an automated process it doesn't make it a bloody "Ai". Jesus, stop this retardation.

                                      Interesting

                                        • cr
                                        • D0g
                                        • 06 Dec 2018

                                        Genza, 06 Dec 2018F that bull$#!t just improve the camera quality of my Redmi... moreWhat do you expect from a 170$ budget phone.For that price that camera is enough.If you want more from a midrange phone get pocophone..